EU Citizens in the UK - After Brexit

It finally seems that we're limping our way towards an agreement with the EU over the UK borders post-Brexit.

Here is the draft proposal from Theresa May that should protect Eu Citizens in the UK & UK citizens in the EU.

What happens to EU citizens living in the UK?

It has yet to be agreed. All EU nationals lawfully resident in the UK for at least five years will be able to apply for "settled status" and be able to bring over spouses and children, under a 15-page proposal unveiled by Theresa May. Mrs May says she wants to give reassurance and certainty to the 3.2 million EU citizens in the UK - as well as citizens of the three EEA countries and Switzerland.

But any deal on their future legal status and rights must be reciprocal and also give certainty to the 1.2 million British expats living on the continent after the UK leaves the EU - expected to be on 29 March 2019, she says.

Michel Barnier, who is leading the Brexit negotiations for the EU, said the UK's proposals did not go far enough and he wanted the same level of protection citizens currently have under EU law. He has demanded more clarity and ambition from the UK government.

The key points of the UK's proposals are:

• Those granted settled status will be able to live, work, study and claim benefits just as they can now
• The cut-off date for eligibility is undecided but will be between 29 March 2017 and 29 March 2019
• Family members of EU citizens living abroad will be able to return and apply for settled status
• EU nationals in the UK for less than five years at the specified date will be able to continue living and working in the UK
• Once resident for five years, they can apply for settled status
• Those arriving after the cut-off point will be able to stay temporarily
• But there should be "no expectation" they will be granted permanent residence
• A period of "blanket residence permission" may apply to give officials time to process applications to stay in the UK
• The Home Office will no longer require evidence that EU citizens who weren't working held "comprehensive sickness insurance"

Labour has said it would guarantee the rights of of EU citizens living in the UK to stay there on "day one" of a Labour government.

EU nationals with a right to permanent residence, which is granted after they have lived in the UK for five years, should not see their rights affected after Brexit.

What happens to UK citizens working in the EU?

A lot depends on the kind of deal the UK agrees with the EU. If the government opted to impose work permit restrictions on EU nationals, then other countries could reciprocate, meaning Britons would have to apply for visas to work.

What about EU nationals who want to work in the UK

Any EU citizen already living and working in the UK will be able to carry on working and living in the UK after Brexit. The current plan is that even after Brexit, people from the EU will be able to move to work in the UK during a "transition" phase of up to three years. However they will have to register. A permanent proposal for post-Brexit immigration is not likely to be known for a few months yet, although it is widely expected that there will be a work permit system along the lines of that for non-EU nationals.

Source: BBC News

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